The Reds have shored up their back row stocks for 2019 - securing Caleb Timu's signature for the upcoming season.
The 24-year-old made his Wallabies debut against Ireland in June as just rewards for a brilliant Super Rugby campaign - form which started during a player of the tournament calibre stint with NRC champions Queensland Country.
His robust ball carrying and thumping hits in defence are valuable assets to the young Reds core who now have Timu, Angus Scott-Young, Scott Higginbotham and Liam Wright as leading contenders to fill the back row in 2019.
"I’m feeling at home at Ballymore. It is a great place to develop as a Rugby player,” Timu said.
"I feel like I’ve grown as a player in the last 12 months and I really want to continue to learn and contribute to the team.
"I’m looking forward to the NRC season, it’s a great opportunity to play footy and work on your game.
"It will be a good chance to continue to learn and improve and hopefully I can carry that form into the next Super Rugby season with the Reds."
Timu's best rugby is yet to come, according to coach Brad Thorn.
"It’s great to see Caleb commit for another season. He really came into his own during last year’s NRC and backed it up with a strong season for the Reds," Thorn said.
"Probably the most pleasing thing about Caleb is he hasn’t yet reached his full potential.
"We’ve seen glimpses of what he is capable of, but he definitely has a lot more to offer the Reds and the Wallabies.
"He’s a great man who works hard to better himself as a player and a person."
